Have you ever admired the glamorous movie stars from bygone eras and wondered what it was that made them seem so feminine and stylish? Well next time you are watching an old Marilyn Monroe movie you might observe that she would accessorise with sheer gloves, hat or even a pretty brooch. In my grandmother’s day men and women alike wouldn’t leave the house without a hat, with a different one depending on the occasion. Sunday church session hats would differ to the hat worn to weddings and christenings (the mother of the bride or baby taking special consideration to their hat and buying a special one for that particular occasion)
These days it seems hats are only worn as sun protection or to horse championships although the trend towards old world and vintage class is making a comeback. Milliners are still in business and with celebrities like Aretha Franklin wearing hats like her infamous bow hat which she wore to President Obama’s inauguration, the hat trend is certainly making its way back into fashion history. Incidentally, Ms Franklin’s hat is reputed to be worth around $2000, not bad at all for the designer Luke Song who said it took him two days to make.
Of course, if buying a unique hat from a milliner is out of reach, vintage hats are also a good option. For many die hard fashionistas with a love of the old world, vintage is the only way to go and does not at all have a negative connotation associated with ‘second hand’. There are plenty of stores around that specialize in vintage, although bargains can be found at garage sales- especially estate sales or where elderly people have been moved to retirement homes and their belongings are to be cleared. Don’t be afraid to ask your grandmother or her friends if they have any “old” accessories they no longer wear!
If you’re uncertain about the style, get onto Google images and look up pictures of starlets from bygone eras such as Grace Kelly, Ginger Rogers or Ava Gardner for inspiration. Casual wear has a time and place, although it doesn’t hurt to take a leaf out of the history fashion pages and smarten up with accessories. Choosing the right accessory is as unique as choosing perfume and colognes and just like having the right fragrance, once you know what accessories work for you, you will be develop an eye for finding just the right thing.